Hey everyone! I'm currently remodeling my 2000 sq ft home and planning to add on to it, bringing the total to around 4000 sq ft. I'm on the lookout for a reliable water heater that can handle multiple hot water needs at once—like when the kids are showering, laundry is running, and the dishwasher is on. I'm aiming for a high-quality unit with plenty of capacity. Any recommendations?
3 Answers
If your demand is really high, you might want to consider installing multiple 200k BTU units in cascade, which are linked together to increase capacity. Just a heads up, this won’t fix pressure issues if your supply is low. In my similar-sized home, the units usually alternate, reducing wear on each. But during peak demand, like when everyone’s showering or when you have big showers going, both can fire up. Having a dedicated recirculation line can also be super helpful!
Both Navien and Rinnai are solid choices, and they max out at 199k BTUs, so you'll get a similar performance from either. If you have cold incoming water—say around 40°F—this can impact how well the heater works. I've been using the Rinnai RXP199 for a week, and it provides about 5.8 gallons per minute. This setup can handle a washing machine and a shower at the same time, though it may take a moment to ramp up. I prefer being able to shower right after someone else, and tankless really solves that problem!
Good point! You can also connect multiple Navien or Rinnai 199 BTU units to boost capacity significantly.
I’ve got a Rinnai propane tankless heater, and it's been great! It adjusts the BTUs based on temperature and flow rate, plus it needs minimal maintenance. When choosing a model, just consider what your cold water supply is like during the winter—this can really affect performance.
We have a well with 10,000 gallons of storage and plan to use a 1" line, so I think we're set!